“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.’ ”
The appeal of the parable of finding a treasure hidden in a field is irresistible. Who would not want to find a treasure and claim it? Yet, the man in the parable finds it, buys the field, and then buries the treasure again. If faith is the field and buying is completely abandoning oneself to the will of God, what could it mean that the treasure is again hidden?
Thank you, God, for the daily treasure of faith. Thank you for your extraordinary gift of abundant grace and mercy hidden in the day-to-day unfolding of life. Here on earth these gifts bring to each moment the Kingdom of heaven. Help me understand, Lord, that to find and hide the treasure of faith seems contradictory when the apostles were to go out to all the world and proclaim the Gospel. My gut tells me that within the heart of those who desire to be close to you through the sacraments, through prayer, and through their lives have hidden in the recesses of their heart a private joy, a one-to-one intimacy that finds fullest expression between you and them—love that ultimately overflows. How can the joy of this kingdom, inexpressible except between the beloved and the lover, be spoken? It is this treasure “which a person finds and hides again.” Yet, how can that joy be contained?
“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: and of his greatness there is no end.” God, give me the grace to invite you into all situations. If I have that grace, there is no consolation I want other than to know you are present, guiding me. I know well enough that I am likely to forget you if I do not have you grasp me by the hand.
Today let me show that joy in some way—not a showy, preachy way—but more like a certain something that makes others wonder what’s at the bottom of it, what lies hidden there.